Electric rail traction: the tram-train

This dossier completes the two previous [D 5 550] and [D 5 551] dossiers devoted to tramways.

The [D 5 550] dossier recounted the historical development of the tramway, its decline in France until its virtual disappearance in the 1960s, then its spectacular renaissance twenty years later in Nantes, Grenoble and then in some fifteen urban areas, including Paris, outlining the main advantages of the tramway and its relationship with the urban environment. The [D 5 550] dossier also includes a description of the system itself: constraints and characteristics of the route, power supply by overhead line or ground or on-board accumulators, safety rules to be observed in operation, driving and, finally, the general principles applied in the design of the equipment, in particular with regard to passenger safety and accessibility, ambient comfort, performance, traction-braking equipment and design.

The [D 5 551] dossier is entirely devoted to rolling stock technology, particularly in its low-floor variant for accessibility by people with reduced mobility. All rolling stock currently built in Western Europe is reviewed, with tables showing the main characteristics of the different ranges available on the market.

This dossier [D 5 552] is dedicated to tram-trains, which can run on rails laid in the street or on the tracks of public railway lines.

The concept of the tram-train was first mooted in Karlsruhe in 1991, and the incredible success of this project has attracted throngs of visitors who have come to see this phenomenon, which enables people who live in the countryside to get to the city without changing their mode of transport.

After a long period of procrastination, the phenomenon is now gaining a foothold in France, where there are numerous projects. Here you'll find the main advantages of the tram-train formula, a review of the main projects currently in service, and a description of the main existing equipment.